MPs face probe over constituency funds

BY PATIENCE NYANGOVE THE government has launched an investigation into how MPs used the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) after it received reports that several legislators had embezzled the money, The Standard has heard. The MPs were each given US$50 000 last year to develop their constituencies but initial indications are that many of them have since converted the money to personal use. Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs, Virginia Mabiza confirmed that her ministry was carrying out an audit into how MPs had used the funds. Mabiza said the ministry had been inundated with phone calls from the public complaining about how MPs were blowing away the money. “We are carrying out an audit and MPs are warned to be cautious on how they are using the money,” said Mabiza. “We are sending our teams on fact-finding missions in their constituencies.” Mabiza could not disclose how many MPs were alleged to have misused the funds saying investigations were still in progress. She however said there was a lot of public concern that the money was not being used for its intended purposes. Mabiza said among the many complaints raised were that the funds were not only personalised but were politicised by the MPs. There was also a general lack of transparency in their use. The Acting Permanent Secretary said most MPs were failing to furnish them with receipts of what they had used the money for. There is a statutory requirement that MPs should submit returns, stating how the funds were utilised. MPs should follow what is stated in the CDF constitution and the accounting officer’s manual or instructions already supplied to them by the Ministry of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs. Separate investigations by The Standard have revealed that some MPs (names supplied) bought school furniture and stationery for not more than US$5 000 and donated them to schools in their areas before squandering the rest of the money. Other MPs are alleged to have bought a few bags of seed maize from the US$50 000 which they donated to their communities. Some MPs are required to account for at least US$40 000.